Electric signal for automobiles.



R.B.11u1w. ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED INAH. 3, |915.

I LI

To all fwhom t may concern 1 UNITED* STATE-S *PATENT OFFICE navinolvn B. RUDY, or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW' Yoan.

Be it known that I, RAYMOND B. RUDY, a citizen oi' the United States, residing at Niagara Falls,in the county of Niagara and State of New .Yorln have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Automobiles; and I do hereby f declare the followingv to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art -to which" -itappertains to make and .use the same. This invention relates tosignal indicators,

forvehicles, and has for its object to provide an apparatus of this kind especiallyadapted for use in connection4 with automobiles which will be simple 1n construct1oncom paratively inexpenswefto manufacture, and

more eiiicientin action than those heretofore proposed.

lilith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts', more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the 'accompanying drawings forming a part Vof this specification in which like numeralsdesignate like parts in all the views,-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of an automobile provided with my invention; Fig, 2 is anelevational view of the signal indicator` adapted to be attached to the front or to the rearor to botl front and rear of the automobile shown in Fig. 1: Fig. 3 ,is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with the circuits diagrammatically illustrated.

1 indicates any' suitable car or vvehicle to which is attached as on a rear bracket 2 or on the radiator filling pipe 3 or on both the bracket and filling pipe my signal indicator 4i .This indicator consists of any usual outer casing 5v in which are located the electro magnets 6, 7 and 8 having the poles 9, 1 0 and llrespectively, associated kwith the source of current 12 from which leads'the wire 13 provided with branch wire 14 passing through the coils of the magnet 7 from which leads the wire 15 to the contact`member 16 located on the steering wheel 17 'of the vehicle. From the wire 13 also leadsjthe branch connection 18 passing through the coils of magnet 6 from which leads the wire 19'to the contact member 2O also located on the steerf aLEornIc 'SIGNAL non au'romonitris.

the wire 13 leads the third branch connection 21 passing through the coils ofthe magnet; 8

lfrom which leads the wire 22 to thecontact member' 23 likewise located on thev steering wheel 17 of the vehicle.

arranged in .the arc 1jotaf.circle, which may be traversed by the lever .24' so as to make circuitjwith-an'y of said contacts at wilhand from said lever 24: leads the wire 25backr to the battery 12.' Accordingly it isobvious .that `by manipulating the lever-24v a circuit `Specification. of Letters Patent.: l VIallented Feb. 22, 12.916... 'Application mea Marcha, 1915. serial No. 11,707. I

I wheel 17 of the vehicle. Finally from The contacts 16, 20 and 23 are preferably I can be closed through any one of the magnets .6, 7 or 8 at will.V The poles9, 10 and 11 of said magnets are further located on 4'the 'circumference ot a circle. as will be lclear lfrom Fig. 4, and at the center of said circle is pivoted the armature 26, adapted to be attracted to any one-of thepoles 9, 10 and 11 when the corresponding circuit, is made. A convenient means Jfor pivoting the armature 26 is a pipe 27 one end of which is journa'led i in the plate 28 with which the casing 5 is provided, and the other end of which projects through a plate 28 with which said casing 5 is alsoprovided. The extreme end of `the pipe or tube 27 may be conveniently split as indicated at 30 and the said split'end provided with a conical screw plug such as 31. 'so as to expand the same on the inside of a perforation with which the glass member 32 is provided. Bv this means the glass center4 piece, or red bulls eye 32 is made to revolve with the armature 26 `and tube 27. Fitted around the outer circumference of the said.

bulls eye 32 is the annular' metallic ring member 33 provided with a circular opening in which is iitted the clear glass disk 35. Accordingly when the said armature 26 is moved the said members 32,33 and 35 will correspondingly move. On a line passing clear glass is the arrow orother indicator 36 rigidly secured to the metal ring 33 as indicated 'at 37. At 180 from ,the arrow or through the centers ofjthe bulls eye 32 and ioo " crescent.` i

through the magnet 6 the contact 20 may,V be marked with-the letter S as indicated, and the vertical position-of the arrow 36 will in-V dicate stop. On the other hand. if the c0114*- tact 16 is marked L to indicate left, then; when. the circuit is 'made throughthe mag-f said pole armaturea-ndthe said arrow'and In other words ifgthe `circuit'is net 7 the mov-ement ofthe arrow 36 toward the left will indicate that the vehicle is turn mg or going to'turn toward the lett;- In the saine .Way bymarking'the contact 23 with 'the-,magnet 8 the movement of the arrow 36 `to the right as seen in Figs.f2 and 4 will in.

dicate that thev vehicle is moving toward the right or is about to move in' that direction. Again, when no circuit at all is made the `Weigl1t of the arrow is so chosen that it Will gravitate to its lowest position, whereupon it will point vertically downward and inthis position it Will indicate neutral.

In order vthat the signal may be operative at night, I preferablyprovide a lamp suchsuch as 42 immediatelyl below the lamp 40 in order to shed light upon the license tag or number. .Y The contact lever 24 is preferably' piveted on the steering Wheel 17v asindicated and the circuits shown in Fig. 4 are' preferably duplicated for the front'signal 4 so V-at whenv circuits are made as above indicated duplicate signals will be displayed at trent Vand rear, but of course a suitable switch not shown may be provided ifvdesired to cut out the front signals.

It will be seen from the above disclosure that my device will serve to indicate to other vehicles and to pedestrians aswell as to the trailic policemen on corners Whether the driver intends to go straight yahead'or turn to the right or to the left. or to stop. It will further be seen that the signals giving the above information can be Vsimultaneously displayed at the front and the rear of I the vehicle.

n' In addition to the'a'bov therear. signalv is combined W'ith'the tail lampA which fthe law requires shall ,be carried, in that vthe -red bulls eye 32 serves as a-tail lamp. l"In order; thati ty maybe kept shining at lall times, the circuitsfOpthrough 4the lamp 40 are kept: permanently: closed vthrough the source of current hv Wiresnot shown, but

'ofcourse maybe cut out at any ytimeby suitable means not"illustrated;

It will further be' seen that thesi'nal so movementsI are all positively produce that thedanger of a'failu're to operateis minimizedf The contact lever 24 beinglo` 'cated on the steering wheel, is in easy'reachi of thegoperatorsthumb sothat the signal4 involves-no 'diiliculty 6r trouble in its operation,` and -vvilljremain in` the position set 1 untilthe circuit is brokenand it is returned y to its neutral position.u vIn 'orderthat the signal for stop maybe quickly produced no matter .Where the lever 24 may; be, provide Aan extra contactl on .the steering wheel and immediately Pnexty to the contact I23 so ,that should the Acircuit through contact 23 be made the lever 24l can be'trirnedy immediately to the contact 51t0 `.indicate stop Without havingr tomove all thezway over-.

to contact 20. Anotherimportant .point of my invention'residesv inthe factthat `the stop contacts 2O and k5l are so located-that before they can be Areached, from a neutral position 52, the contacts-16 'or' 23 .mustbe Vpassed'over andthe magnets 70158 ener-- gized.. In other `Words should thel armature 26 be at its lowest` or neutral-position,I it `is very desirable to energize the magnets 7 or -8 in order to raise it to itsl highest position' yillustrated in Fig..4 -fandthereforey when it is desired toindicate 'stop :when the arrow 36 is pointing vertically downward, current .must be passed first throughl the magnets 7 or 8, before it is passedthrough the magnet 6. and the energizing of one of the magnets 7 or 8 therefore first attracts the armature" 26 and greatly aids in bringing it toflits highest or stop position illustrated in` ig. 4.V The magnets dol not=occupy but a fraction of the space inside thecasing 5 and thereforeample room is afl'ord'ed forwiring.

It is obvious that those skilled initheart may vary the details of constructionyas Well asthe'arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit off'myin'vention and therefore I do'not Wish tobe limited remlired by the claims.

`What Claimris;

in said casing with" their ipolesqlocated substantially 90" aparton acircle leaving a space of substantially180o between twocon secutive poles; a pivot passing through said fcircleg' a transparent bulls' eyeV serving `as a tailV lamp concentric with said. circle an "to the above disclosure.except'asmay4 be l .1. a signal for automobiles''theV comn -bination of a casing: tlrreeelectro-mafgn'ets armature carried by said pivot jadantditobe Vbrought opposite' each pole' atfdiffeifent `times and to occupy fa' mid position uin said.

space when said magnets are'notl excited;

"'ars'ignal carried said'pivotand moving with said'armatlire {electric circuits throughv said magnets; and ineans under 'the control` vof the operator4 or energizing and. deener gizing each magnet ,at '.Will 'and thereby..

causing vthe signal to ,assume .any one of four predetermined positions; substantially as described.

2. In a signal -for automobiles the comb ination of a casing.; three electrofmagnets ing each magnet at willand thereby causin said` casing with their poles locatedl sub-v stantially 90 apart on a circle, leaving a 'space of substantially 180 betweentwo con- I secutive poles; a pivot passing through said Y circle; a .transparent bulls .eye serving asl a tail llamp concentric with saidv circle; van armature carried by vsaid pivot adapted to bel brought opposite each pole .at diiterent times and to occupy a mid position in said space when said magnets areA not excited;

a signal vcarried by said pivot and moving..

with said armature; electric circuits through said magnets;'means under the control of the operator for energizing and deenergizing the signal to assume x any one of tour predetermined positions; a lamp in said casing and an opaque-"member carrying a .transparentmember and concentric with f said circle and Isaid, bulls eye in lixed rela"- tion to 'and adapted to move with. said sig'- nal, substantially asdescribed. 3,0`

3.. Inan automob'levsignal the combination of a casing; a `transparent bulls eye concentric withsaid casingand serving as a tail lamp in said casing; a pivot on which said bulls eye turns; a lampior -illu'minating said bullseye; an armature carried by'. said-pivot; a plurality of-.electromagnets' for attracting said. armature. lto dilerent predetermined positions, and turning said bulls eye; and a transparent-signal member rigid with said bulls eye and adapted to turn with p said bulls eye, substantially as described.`

4. In an automobile signal the combination of a casing; a vtranspareirt bulls eye concentric .with said casing serving as a tail' lamp' in said,V casing; a4 pivot on which 'said bulls eye turns; a lamp for illuminating said bulls eye; Aa reflector in said casing; an

armature carried byl said pivot; a plurality of electromagnet's for attracting said arma'-v ture to different predetermined'gpositions, and turning said bulls eye; a transparent signal member rigid with 'said bulls eye and adapted to turn with said bulls eye; a second signal member in fixed relation to said transparent signal member' adapted to beV turned 'with said bulls eye andA armature.; and meansunder the control of the operator for-energizing each magnet at will, substan-- tially as described.

5. Ina signal: for .automobiles the combination" of a. casing; three electroemagnets in said casing having their poles located in -a circle substantially 90 apart; a "pivot member passing throughthe` center of said circle .and having an armature rigid therewith; a bulls eye inclosed by said casingi serving as a .tail lamp iXed to said pivot .member and turning therewith; an' annular opaque member liXed to: said bulls eye and turning With the latter; a transparent member fixed to and turning with said opaque'- member; and a-lamp for illuminating said Vbulls eye and transparent member during ltheir movements, substantially las described.

l 6. In a signal for automobiles, the combination of acasing; three electromagnets in said -casing having their poleslocatedin a circle substantially' 90 lapart leaving a neutral position from a pair vof said magnets; a pivot member passing through the center of said circle and; having an armature rigid therewith; a bulls eye serviso4 ing as a .tail lamp fixed to said pivot 'member and turning therewith; [an annular opaque member. iXed to said bulls 'eye 'and turning with the latter; a transparent member fixed to vandturning with said- 'opaque i member; a lamp for 'illuminating said'bull eye andtransparent member during 'their movements; an opaque signalmember fixed to said annual member infined- Vrelation to'f said transparent member andtu'rning .with

'the latter; and a plurality. of contacts and circuits through said magnets whereby said opaque signal member and 'said transparent member may at Vwill be brought :to any One of four positions indicating right, left, stop or neutral, substantially .as described.

Y '7. In a' signal apparatus for A automobiles the combination of a pairof signalentthefront andrea-rot' the machine each comprising av casing; three electro-magnets with their poles located.90 apart on a circle in said casing; a pivot pasging through said;

circle carryinga rotating" armature and a rotatingl bulls eye serving as a tail-lamp; an opaque member concentric with and. ro-

tating with said bulls eye; .atransparent' signal carried by said opaque member; an

` parent signalg-and aisetA of contacts under' cuit corresponding to the signals stop, right Y' v4and left; an armature 'adapted to be attractfed by saidv magnetsI to .position 90 apart and corresponding to said signals; a weightl carried by. .said armature adapted to carry' the latter to its neutral position when none of said-circuits are closed; a Contact for controllingeach of said circuits; an additional contact for controlling the circuit corre-l sponding 'tother stop signal and a lever adapted to occupy a position corresponding to each-ot said signals and'to make circuit 3311*;massivelywith each of said contacts; said Y In testimony Whe-reef I ax my 'sigrmture 'Stop signal Contacts being so located'that said 1n presence of two Witnesses.

'levelfin moving from its neutral position to RAYMOND B; RUDY. said stop` contacts must vclose cucuit with Witnesses: 5 one of said other magnets, substantially as LEWIS GQSNELL,

dseribed. FRANCIS C. LING. 

